Patagonia is an awe-inspiring landscape that stretches across the Andes from the Atlantic to the Pacific and down to Cape Horn. Explore it expedition-style aboard the National Geographic Explorer - an authentic expedition ship. On this 18-day voyage, you are sure to enjoy up-close encounters in wild, virtually inaccessible lands. Venture deep into Chile’s glorious fjords past incandescent icebergs and massive glaciers. From the “land of fire,” Tierra del Fuego, to the jagged spires of Torres del Paine National Park, experience Patagonia at close range. Enjoy the privilege of visiting the far-off, stunningly beautiful natural parklands of Karukinka and Yendegaia. Be one of the only expedition ships ever allowed to visit Argentina’s remote, wild Isla de los Estados.
Highlights
See Patagonia’s signature Torres del Paine National Park with naturalists
Venture through wildlife reserves not easily accessible to the public
Be among the few people ever to explore Isla de los Estados (Staten Island)
Transit the legendary Beagle Channel and take in the view of Cape Horn
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
Check in to the Hotel Santiago by Mandarin (formerly the Grand Hyatt), centrally located in Santiago. Santiago is nearly surrounded by the Andes, which form an inspiring backdrop to your afternoon guided overview of this vibrant city. Explore the Plaza de Armas, the main square, and nearby Presidential Palace, enjoying wonderful views from the many hills that dot the city. In the early evening, gather for an informal reception and a drink at the hotel.
Today fly from Santiago to Puerto Montt, Chile’s northern gateway to Patagonia. Time permitting, explore the city and its environs before embarking your ship National Geographic Explorer.
Spend the day exploring Chiloé’s culture and natural history and seeing its attractive palafitos - colorful fishermen’s houses precariously built on stilts along the water’s edge. The town is full of little shops and a large open-air market where the Chileans show their indigenous wares, such as alpaca sweaters and lapis jewelry. You may choose to visit Chiloé National Park to see its forests, wetlands, and wildlife, with a selection of longer or shorter walks. Alternatively, visit some of the welcoming small communities that dot the countryside and learn about a unique way of life. One of the unique features of the island's history and culture is its wooden churches, collectively designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. The churches and many of the houses are covered in protective shells of wooden shingles in artistic designs.
Pumalín’s 750,000 acres in Chilean Patagonia are protected as one of the last areas where the unusual alerce forest remains. These huge trees are similar in dimension to California redwoods, with some specimens 2,000 years old. The Pumalín Project was established in 1995 by the late American conservationist Doug Tompkins, who wanted to preserve some of the remaining virgin forest in Chile. Have a choice of walks in the park with naturalists in the forest, visit a hidden waterfall, or, for the energetic, climb along a rushing stream and look for forest birds along the trail. In the afternoon, head for the Golfo de Corcovado in search of marine wildlife, looking for Magellanic penguins, sooty shearwaters, dolphins, and with luck, whales.
Today offers a choice of two interesting excursions.
You may decide to take a morning excursion to a nearby, exceptionally beautiful privately owned park, Aiken del Sur. The park has well-maintained trails, set in evergreen forest with lovely waterfalls and lakes, including a 75-foot-high cascade. Bird possibilities include ringed kingfisher, woodpeckers, and a variety of forest birds. A Patagonian lamb barbecue (with vegetarian options) and entertainment by local musicians awaits at the end of the walk.
Alternatively, take a full-day excursion to the Coyhaique National Reserve, driving up into a beautiful valley nestled in the Andes, with views of the snow-covered peaks. Entering the reserve, drive through evergreen forest full of giant rhubarb and ferns to the transition zone of deciduous Nothofagus forest. The starting point for our hike is Laguna Verde, “Green Lake.” Coyhaique National Reserve is home to three Chilean woodpecker species, passerines, diurnal and nocturnal predatory birds, and other animals such as pumas and foxes. In places, the forest is native and pristine, and in others you have the chance to appreciate the colonization process that is following fires of recent years. After your hike, have a picnic lunch and visit the city of Coyhaique, seeing its central plaza and the artisans’ stalls, with excellent handicrafts. Then return to Chacabuco and National Geographic Explorer.
This large region of incredible scenery provides days of adventure for you. A vast area of snowcapped mountains, gigantic glaciers, thousands of islands covered with vegetation, lakes, soaring granite walls, and waterfalls, the archipelago is untouched by humans, except for a few fishing villages which perch at “the end of the world.” With a National Geographic photographer and a photo instructor by your side, you have boundless photo options. One day explore the town of Tortel and its fjord. Glacier-fed rivers give the fjord a distinctive color. At Tortel, a system of boardwalks connects the houses and public spaces of this charming town of about 500 inhabitants. Meet members of the community, which is fiercely determined to preserve its unique environment.
One of the many highlights is the Pio XI Glacier, the longest glacier in the southern hemisphere outside of Antarctica, running some 60 miles from the Patagonia icefield to the fjord where it noisily calves off gigantic ice masses, at a rate of one every several minutes. It is 2 miles wide and rises nearly 200 feet above sea level. Explore by Zodiac, and perhaps hike on land exposed by the receding glacier. These days offer you multiple opportunities to hike and to use Zodiacs, kayaks, and undersea technology to explore the beautiful protected waters. En route to Puerto Natales, transit the breathtaking 200-foot-wide White Narrows, a dogleg between unforgiving rock bluffs.
Day 10: Puerto Natales | Torres del Paine National Park
From Puerto Natales, drive to monumental Torres del Paine National Park, a UNESCO Biosphere. The landscape is big, wide and sprawling, with razor-backed ridges, Andean condors, flamingos, and rheas. It’s hard to imagine that the park could top the drive, but the Torres del Paine are an amazing sight, jagged granite mountains topped with a thick layer of dark slate. Discover one of the most spectacular and wildlife-rich areas in the Americas, covering 450,000 acres of glaciers, forests and grasslands, rivers and colorful lagoons. Chileans themselves dream of visiting this magnificent park. Choose whether to hike or else to drive to some of the most scenic places in this great setting.
Day 11-12: Tierra del Fuego, Chile: Karukinka Natural Park
Tierra del Fuego is one of Patagonia’s crown jewels. Visit its newest and largest protected area: Karukinka Natural Park. Established in 2004 through a gift from Goldman Sachs, Karukinka is one of the largest donations ever made for conservation. Your ship has special permission from the Wildlife Conservation Society to visit this private reserve, which spans 1,160 square miles and harbors endangered culpeo fox, Andean condors, and many other kinds of wildlife. Perhaps explore Jackson Bay, backed by a skyline of rugged mountains, and look for wildlife including black-browed albatross that nest on one of the nearby small islands. You may walk a trail to a lovely waterfall, and look for elephant seals resting on not only the beach but also high in the grass meadows and even in the small river draining the valley inland. Look for the Andean condors, albatrosses, grebes, petrels, fulmars, shearwaters, and many other birds that inhabit this otherworldly realm.
Day 13: The Chilean Fjords | Beagle Channel | Yendegaia
Sail the Beagle Channel, named after HMS Beagle. The ship, commanded by Captain FitzRoy, surveyed the region between 1826 and 1830 and returned in 1833 with Charles Darwin on board. On seeing the area, Darwin wrote: “It is scarcely possible to imagine anything more beautiful than the beryl-like blue of these glaciers, and especially as contrasted with the dead white of the upper expanse of snow.” Continue to Yendegaia, a stunning wilderness that covers 95,000 acres on Tierra del Fuego. This newly established national park was formerly a private reserve. It has some of the last remaining subantarctic beech forests, along with stunning mountains and wild rivers. There are walking trails for you to explore, amid some of the most sublime landscapes to be found anywhere.
Today visit Cape Horn, the southernmost tip of the continent, named in 1616 for the Dutch town of Hoorn. These waters are famously difficult to navigate, and over the centuries have been the graveyard of many ships, which before the opening of the Panama Canal had to round the cape to sail between the Pacific and Atlantic. Of course, the ship uses its modern equipment and decades of experience to explore safely. Weather permitting, take Zodiacs ashore and walk to the top of a hill for panoramic views and to see the memorial placed there in 1992, showing an albatross in silhouette.
Day 15-17: Isla de Los Estados (Staten Island), Argentina
With special permission, visit extraordinary Staten Island - National Geographic Explorer is one of the only expedition ships ever allowed here. It’s a place of superlatives, barely touched in recent decades and visited primarily by a few scientists and those who man the tiny naval observatory. The island was named by Dutch explorers in 1615. Its mountainous, forested landscapes and rugged fjords are beautiful, and you can find a great deal of interest here. Your exact schedule remains flexible to take best advantage of conditions. See colonies of southern rockhopper and Magellanic penguins, many other water birds, and large assemblages of fur seals and sea lions. Aso look for otters on landings ashore, and see the 1884 San Juan de Salvamento “lighthouse at the end of the world,” which inspired Jules Verne’s novel by the same name, along with the ruins of a penal colony, and perhaps an archaeological site occupied 1,500 years ago by Native Americans. There are opportunities to walk in the southern beech forests. These days are bound to stand out as a unique chance to explore a very remote place.
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Main Deck with one or two portholes. #301-308
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Main Deck with window. #317-320, 335-336.
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Cat 3
Main Deck with Window #313-316, 321-328, 337-340,342, 344, 346, 348, 350.
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Cat 4
Upper and Veranda Decks with Window. # 103-104, 107-108, 201-202, 204-207, 210, 212, 217, 226, 228.
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Included
17 Breakfasts, 17 Lunches, 16 Dinners
17 Nights Accommodations
Accommodations as listed
Ground transportation as listed
Activities as listed
Meals as listed
Access to a 24-7 Emergency line while traveling
Assistance by the onboard National Geographic Photography Expert
Beer, wine, cocktails, and spirits aboard the ship. We are also pleased to offer a selection of super premium wines and liquors that are available for purchase.
Crew gratuities
Complimentary Starlink-enabled Wi-Fi internet is available to all guests aboard Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic fleet, enabling email, messaging, and social media.
Park and site entrance fees, special access permits, and port taxes
Excursions, hotels, and airport transfers, as indicated in the itinerary
Selection of exploration tools curated to your destination, such as Zodiacs and glass-bottom boats, stand-up paddleboards, kayaks, snorkeling equipment (including wetsuits, masks, and fins), and other state-of-the-art gear
Guidance and company of leading expedition staff
All meals as indicated in the itinerary, both aboard and onshore. Meals are inspired by regional cuisine and locally sourced where possible
Hors d’oeuvres inspired by regional cuisine and locally sourced where possible
24-hour access to snacks, premium coffees and teas, non-alcoholic beverages, and filtered water
Presentations on your destination by expedition staff and expert guest speakers
Complimentary reusable water bottle to fill at onboard water refill stations
The services of a physician, physician’s assistant, nurse practitioner, or paramedic where available
Morning stretch classes and 24-hour access to exercise equipment where available
24-hour access to lounges, observation decks, library stocked with regionally relevant literature, and other shared spaces
Fuel and transportation surcharges (when applicable)
Buenos Aires Hotel tax (up to $2 per person/night) - paid at checkout
Laundry, spa treatments, scuba diving, Wi-Fi and phone services (except when indicated as included)
We strongly recommend our guests to take Travel Protection Plan. A Plan with comprehensive coverage to protect you from cancellation fees, costs incurred due to trip delays/interruption, damaged or lost baggage, medical assistance, and evacuation during your travels
Airfare (except flights when indicated as included), pre- and post-expedition extensions, additional hotel nights, and private transfers (except when indicated as included)
Travel protection plans and passport, visa, and immigration fees
Enhanced and premium Wi-Fi plans, which may enable video chat, web browsing, and streaming (connectivity permitting)
This was my first experience with Adventure Life - and I couldn't have been more pleased with the trip. The guides and local staff in both Buenos Aires and Uruguay were terrific - extremely helpful and accommodating. I really enjoyed meeting the friendly staff in Buenos Aires in person (I left my bags with them for the afternoon).
Karen Snider
TrustScore 4.8 | 174 reviews
TrustScore 4.8 of 5
Based on 174 reviews on
8 hours ago
The trip was not only memorable for the amount of animals we saw but also for the people and accommodations at the two camps where we stayed. Our first guide, BK, was a wealth of information about the animals, landscape and down to the plants and what they were used for. Everyday out was a learning experience with him. All the people at the camps were gracious and the food was excellent.
Our second camp in the Okavanga was just as good as the first as far as the staff, accommodations, food and animals. After our experience at the first camp we amazed that the high quality remained the same. Our guide, G, made sure we were able to enjoy every experience including a rush through the bush to witness a cheetah and an ensuing hunt that he heard over his radio.
In both camps there were enough guides out that if they saw something the other guides were informed which helped in seeing as much as possible. It was also nice that the concessions were large enough that we did not have vehicles following each other throughout the day.
Normally there is always something in a trip of this length that we think could be improved upon but this is the rare case where we cannot think of anything. From the time we left the States to when we returned it was one of the most hassle free vacations we took.
Perhaps emphasizing the use of the laundry facilities at the camps would be useful because of the luggage restrictions would be the only thing I can think of as an improvement to future clients.
Kenneth Dropek
1 day ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.
